Supercar for cops

Rather than being purchased separately and bolted on, police equipment such as computers, license plate readers and speed detection equipment will be pre-installed. That should lead to serious cost savings, Carbon CEO William Li says. Carbon will be able to buy equipment in larger amounts for a lower per-unit cost and can install it more efficiently in cars that are designed for it.

The made-to-order cockpit will also provide a more comfortable and safer workspace for officers, the company claims.

Sgt. Keith Wilson of the Michigan State Police Precision Driving Team agreed that ergonomics can be a problem in police cars. The space is getting tighter while the cops are getting bigger.

"We're getting more troopers in the department that are built like college linemen," he said.

In the back, comfort is less an issue than practicality. Back seat passengers will find about the same legroom as in other police cruisers. The backseat area is designed to be quickly and easily hosed out and wiped down.

The E7's back doors are hinged to open from the front, making it easier to move handcuffed suspects into and out of the back seats.

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